The US and Canada share North America's most-vital trade corridor

U.S. President Donald Trump waves next to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, following a family photo at the G7 Summit expanded session in Taormina, Sicily, Italy May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River make up the most crucial North American trade corridor today.

$77.4 billion worth of goods flow through these lakes and waterways each year.

This region will remain a vital and important trade corridor for both America and Canada for a long time.

Long before highways and railroads covered the vast expanses of North America, crucial trade was conducted through the towns and outposts located along the shores of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.

This region is integral in both U.S. and Canadian histories, and it's still the most vital trade corridor in North America today. In fact, every year 230 million metric tonnes of cargo pass through these important waterways, and it's estimated that an impressive 30% of total U.S.-Canada economic activity takes place in the broader Great Lakes region itself.

Today's infographic comes to us from the Chamber of Marine Commerce, and it uses data from the a recent report covering the economic impacts of maritime shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region.

A CRUCIAL TRADE CORRIDOR

Freighter trade in the Great Lakes originally gained prominence in the 1840s, when copper and iron ore were discovered in the areas surrounding the lakes. This kickstarted large-scale shipping, and was the catalyst that led to the familiar lake freighters that are often seen on the waters now.

In modern times, these metals are just one of many different categories of products that can be found aboard active vessels.

Here are the most important types of cargo that make up the $77.4 billion (C$100 billion) of goods that flow through these lakes and waterways each year:

Iron ore, aluminum, and finished steel

Limestone and cement

Grain (wheat, barley, soybeans, corn, and canola)

Petroleum products such as gasoline

Fertilizers, sugar, and road salt

Containers filled with consumer goods or manufactured products

Oversized cargo, such as wind turbines or other machinery

There are 100+ port cities and towns that are connected through the waterways, and the region facilitates trade to 60+ countries, as well.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT

What are the economic benefits stemming from all the trade that originates in these 2,300 miles (3,700 km) of river and lake systems?

According to the most recent edition of the report, marine cargo and vessel activity generated a total of $45.6 billion of economic impact in the U.S. and Canada, including $17.9 billion of personal income and $9 billion of tax revenue. Further, it's estimated that 328,500 jobs have been created or are sustained by port activity, with the majority of them in places like Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Even in the digital age, physical goods (food, materials, machinery, consumer goods, etc.) are needed each day to keep the economy humming along - and in that respect, the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence region will remain a vital and important trade corridor for both countries for a long time.